30PlusGamer http://30plusgamer.com We're a game website devoted to "advanced" gamer gals and guys 30 and OVER. Thu, 23 May 2013 16:35:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Xbox One Revealed - Meet the Xbox One, the all-in-one home entertainment system http://30plusgamer.com/xbox-one-revealed/ http://30plusgamer.com/xbox-one-revealed/#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 00:20:10 +0000 Jeremy Woodcock http://30plusgamer.com/?p=3346

nextbox.jpg

The time has finally come.  Say hello to Microsoft's next-gen console: the Xbox One.

The Console

Set to be released by the end of this year, the Xbox One is being touted as an all-in-one home entertainment system.  Based off of what was covered during the announcement, it sounds like it might be a fairly apt description.  It also looks simple enough for casual players to get the hang of while also being quick and powerful enough to appease the core crowd.  Speaking of the core gamer, let's get some of the technical specifications out of the way. The Xbox One will have:
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 8 Core CPU
  • 500 GB hard drive
  • Blu-ray disc drive
  • 802.11n Wireless w/ Wi-Fi Direct
  • HDMI In/Out
  • USB 3.0
The console isn't alone when it comes to next-gen upgrades.  Microsoft has made a few enhancements to the Kinect as well.  It'll now have a 1080p widescreen view of the world around you. It was said that can detect subtleties movements down to rotation of joints, shifting of weight, and will even be able to read your heartbeat.  Obviously, I don't know how true that is, but the heartbeat sensing could be interesting for psychological horror games like Fatal Frame or Alan Wake (please make Alan Wake 2!).  Another cool feature for casual and exceptionally lazy gamers is the fact that you can turn on the Xbox One by saying "Xbox on".  It's supposed to be personalized enough as to recognize the speaker and load their specific profile.  There is a bit of troubling news though, as IGN reports that Xbox One won't function if the Kinect sensor isn't connected.  Each system will come with a Kinect so it shouldn't be a problem, but some might have a problem with it being forced upon them. The controller hasn't been left out either.  Fighting game fans rejoice, it finally has a proper d-pad!  If you look at the picture above, you'll notice that the Back and Start buttons have been replaced by two new buttons: one for switching between applications (more on that later) and one to return you to the menu.  The trigger buttons will have programmable feedback so there will be different types of rumble experienced for different games.  Imagine getting feedback from the right trigger as you floor the gas pedal while the controller itself rumbles differently to mimic the engine, and you'll start to get an idea of how it can be used.  It was said that, in all, over 40 new innovations/adjustments were made to the Xbox One controller. For different views of the system, controller, and Kinect sensor, check out this video: [youtube id="TP_E6Bn6fWM" width="600" height="350"]

The Features

As many people were most likely expecting, there was a big focus on the new, improved features that would come with the Xbox One.  One of the biggest and least surprising additions will be the ability to watch live TV on the console.  What was pretty interesting was that you'll be able to go between apps relatively quickly and painlessly with "instant switching" done via Kinect commands.  That's not all.  Using a gesture with your arms similar to "pinching" on iOS ("grab and contract"), you'll be able to minimize the app and view other menu items.  To take it a step further, you can also enter "Snap mode" which is just like Snap for Windows 7.  In other words, you'll be able to watch TV on part of your screen and Bing information about what you're watching on the other side, for example.  There will be an Xbox One Guide employed for the TV app too so that you can browse your favorite shows and channels using Kinect voice or motion commands.  It looked simple, clean, and swift from what was shown. Let's not forget about Microsoft's partnership with ESPN and, now, the NFL, which was announced today.  If you're into fantasy sports, you'll have something to look forward to on Xbox One since you'll get alerts on your fantasy league standings, be able to check stats, etc., all in real-time. One last thing to mention on the TV front.  There will be a new live-action Halo TV series coming to the Xbox One in an effort to create a more immersive experience and make it more than just a game.  That may not be too much of a shocker given all of the books, shorts, movies, and other merchandise that has spawned from the series.  How about this then?  Steven Spielberg will be helping create this TV series!  I'd be lying if I said that I didn't do a double-take when I heard that. It sounds like the omnipresent cloud will be a major factor for the Xbox One, especially when it comes to Xbox Live.  Fear not.  It will still be tied to your existing membership, but it is expected to be much more powerful and personal.  Thanks to the cloud, it is said to be like playing with a dedicated DVR for your games.  One of the more interesting things talked about was how the system would actively search for suitable matches while you are browsing other apps.  Sounds better than staring blankly at the matchmaking screen.

The Games

Let's not forget: this is a gaming console we're talking about, not just some TV, Skype, Netflix machine. EA Sports took the stage and announced that they've entered into a partnership with Microsoft, but details were scant.  What was said was that NBA Live, Madden, FIFA, and UFC would all launch within the next 12 months on Xbox One.  FIFA, in particular, was mentioned since it will have exclusive content called "Ultimate Team" coming to the system.  They showed off their new game engine, EA Sports Ignite, which they claim will blur the line between real and virtual worlds, adding a more human intelligence, more realistic player motion, and worlds that feel alive.  Here's a video to show what you can expect: [youtube id="QS6IlceFF9g" width="600" height="350"] Next was the new entry into the Xbox-exclusive racing franchise, Forza Motorsport 5.  There was almost no information beyond the name, and that you can expect to see it on the Xbox One at launch.  Graphically, it was quite a beauty.  Here's hoping that it looks as gorgeous as the trailer. [youtube id="r46D1lRpO1k" width="600" height="350"] Remedy, makers of the Max Payne series, will be bringing an exclusive new IP to the Xbox One called Quantum Break.  Unfortunately, this one is still a mystery except for that the choices that you make during the game will dynamically change the story as it progresses.  What was shown seemed intriguing, though, and as a fan of Max Payne and Alan Wake, I'll be keeping an eye on it. [youtube id="_64IZNgxPKs" width="600" height="350"] These teasers aside, they stated that in the first year of the Xbox One's life, gamers should expect to see 15 exclusive games on the system, 8 of which are entirely new franchises.  This should bring some solace to gamers that are worried about the staleness in gaming recently. The show ended with the premiere of the new trailer for Call of Duty: Ghosts.  Activision announced that it's DLC will be timed-exclusive to the Xbox One.  It's got an all new world with different cast of characters, including a dog that has been added to the squad that'll be able to sniff out explosives, among other things.  On the next-gen consoles, it'll be using their new engine call "Sub-D", which is supposed to smooth out curvatures, allow for higher defined textures, and so on.  Another new feature is that it'll have a new Mantle System that will allow characters to hop over barriers and slide similar to Faith in Mirror's Edge.  The multiplayer maps are said to be dynamic as well, adding unpredictable elements like an earthquake that alters terrain, flooding, and other generally unfavorable scenarios.  For your viewing pleasure, here's the trailer: [youtube id="_IK0j8E-c4s" width="600" height="350"] Some of the other rumors weren't addressed during the press conference, but rumblings among the internet have helped flesh some of them out.  For instance, according to The Verge, the Xbox One will not be backwards compatible.  This isn't inclusive to physical games either, apparently, as they say that there is no plan for a streaming service for 360 games similar to what Sony is doing with the PS4.  Wired seems to have debunked the rumor about console requiring always-on internet connectivity and adds a few more tidbits, namely that all Xbox One games will install to the hard drive.  This adds convenience since, after the install, you won't need the disc to play the game because it will be connected to your account, but it adds an interesting fold to the used game market.  Further details are expected at a later time in regards to how the console will deal with playing used games.  No details on price yet either.  I guess we'll just have to wait a few more weeks until E3.  

What did you think of the Xbox One reveal?  Was it all you'd hoped for or did it leave a lot to be desired?  Let us know in the comment section below!

The post Xbox One Revealed appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> nextbox.jpg

The time has finally come.  Say hello to Microsoft's next-gen console: the Xbox One.

The Console

Set to be released by the end of this year, the Xbox One is being touted as an all-in-one home entertainment system.  Based off of what was covered during the announcement, it sounds like it might be a fairly apt description.  It also looks simple enough for casual players to get the hang of while also being quick and powerful enough to appease the core crowd.  Speaking of the core gamer, let's get some of the technical specifications out of the way. The Xbox One will have:
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 8 Core CPU
  • 500 GB hard drive
  • Blu-ray disc drive
  • 802.11n Wireless w/ Wi-Fi Direct
  • HDMI In/Out
  • USB 3.0
The console isn't alone when it comes to next-gen upgrades.  Microsoft has made a few enhancements to the Kinect as well.  It'll now have a 1080p widescreen view of the world around you. It was said that can detect subtleties movements down to rotation of joints, shifting of weight, and will even be able to read your heartbeat.  Obviously, I don't know how true that is, but the heartbeat sensing could be interesting for psychological horror games like Fatal Frame or Alan Wake (please make Alan Wake 2!).  Another cool feature for casual and exceptionally lazy gamers is the fact that you can turn on the Xbox One by saying "Xbox on".  It's supposed to be personalized enough as to recognize the speaker and load their specific profile.  There is a bit of troubling news though, as IGN reports that Xbox One won't function if the Kinect sensor isn't connected.  Each system will come with a Kinect so it shouldn't be a problem, but some might have a problem with it being forced upon them. The controller hasn't been left out either.  Fighting game fans rejoice, it finally has a proper d-pad!  If you look at the picture above, you'll notice that the Back and Start buttons have been replaced by two new buttons: one for switching between applications (more on that later) and one to return you to the menu.  The trigger buttons will have programmable feedback so there will be different types of rumble experienced for different games.  Imagine getting feedback from the right trigger as you floor the gas pedal while the controller itself rumbles differently to mimic the engine, and you'll start to get an idea of how it can be used.  It was said that, in all, over 40 new innovations/adjustments were made to the Xbox One controller. For different views of the system, controller, and Kinect sensor, check out this video: [youtube id="TP_E6Bn6fWM" width="600" height="350"]

The Features

As many people were most likely expecting, there was a big focus on the new, improved features that would come with the Xbox One.  One of the biggest and least surprising additions will be the ability to watch live TV on the console.  What was pretty interesting was that you'll be able to go between apps relatively quickly and painlessly with "instant switching" done via Kinect commands.  That's not all.  Using a gesture with your arms similar to "pinching" on iOS ("grab and contract"), you'll be able to minimize the app and view other menu items.  To take it a step further, you can also enter "Snap mode" which is just like Snap for Windows 7.  In other words, you'll be able to watch TV on part of your screen and Bing information about what you're watching on the other side, for example.  There will be an Xbox One Guide employed for the TV app too so that you can browse your favorite shows and channels using Kinect voice or motion commands.  It looked simple, clean, and swift from what was shown. Let's not forget about Microsoft's partnership with ESPN and, now, the NFL, which was announced today.  If you're into fantasy sports, you'll have something to look forward to on Xbox One since you'll get alerts on your fantasy league standings, be able to check stats, etc., all in real-time. One last thing to mention on the TV front.  There will be a new live-action Halo TV series coming to the Xbox One in an effort to create a more immersive experience and make it more than just a game.  That may not be too much of a shocker given all of the books, shorts, movies, and other merchandise that has spawned from the series.  How about this then?  Steven Spielberg will be helping create this TV series!  I'd be lying if I said that I didn't do a double-take when I heard that. It sounds like the omnipresent cloud will be a major factor for the Xbox One, especially when it comes to Xbox Live.  Fear not.  It will still be tied to your existing membership, but it is expected to be much more powerful and personal.  Thanks to the cloud, it is said to be like playing with a dedicated DVR for your games.  One of the more interesting things talked about was how the system would actively search for suitable matches while you are browsing other apps.  Sounds better than staring blankly at the matchmaking screen.

The Games

Let's not forget: this is a gaming console we're talking about, not just some TV, Skype, Netflix machine. EA Sports took the stage and announced that they've entered into a partnership with Microsoft, but details were scant.  What was said was that NBA Live, Madden, FIFA, and UFC would all launch within the next 12 months on Xbox One.  FIFA, in particular, was mentioned since it will have exclusive content called "Ultimate Team" coming to the system.  They showed off their new game engine, EA Sports Ignite, which they claim will blur the line between real and virtual worlds, adding a more human intelligence, more realistic player motion, and worlds that feel alive.  Here's a video to show what you can expect: [youtube id="QS6IlceFF9g" width="600" height="350"] Next was the new entry into the Xbox-exclusive racing franchise, Forza Motorsport 5.  There was almost no information beyond the name, and that you can expect to see it on the Xbox One at launch.  Graphically, it was quite a beauty.  Here's hoping that it looks as gorgeous as the trailer. [youtube id="r46D1lRpO1k" width="600" height="350"] Remedy, makers of the Max Payne series, will be bringing an exclusive new IP to the Xbox One called Quantum Break.  Unfortunately, this one is still a mystery except for that the choices that you make during the game will dynamically change the story as it progresses.  What was shown seemed intriguing, though, and as a fan of Max Payne and Alan Wake, I'll be keeping an eye on it. [youtube id="_64IZNgxPKs" width="600" height="350"] These teasers aside, they stated that in the first year of the Xbox One's life, gamers should expect to see 15 exclusive games on the system, 8 of which are entirely new franchises.  This should bring some solace to gamers that are worried about the staleness in gaming recently. The show ended with the premiere of the new trailer for Call of Duty: Ghosts.  Activision announced that it's DLC will be timed-exclusive to the Xbox One.  It's got an all new world with different cast of characters, including a dog that has been added to the squad that'll be able to sniff out explosives, among other things.  On the next-gen consoles, it'll be using their new engine call "Sub-D", which is supposed to smooth out curvatures, allow for higher defined textures, and so on.  Another new feature is that it'll have a new Mantle System that will allow characters to hop over barriers and slide similar to Faith in Mirror's Edge.  The multiplayer maps are said to be dynamic as well, adding unpredictable elements like an earthquake that alters terrain, flooding, and other generally unfavorable scenarios.  For your viewing pleasure, here's the trailer: [youtube id="_IK0j8E-c4s" width="600" height="350"] Some of the other rumors weren't addressed during the press conference, but rumblings among the internet have helped flesh some of them out.  For instance, according to The Verge, the Xbox One will not be backwards compatible.  This isn't inclusive to physical games either, apparently, as they say that there is no plan for a streaming service for 360 games similar to what Sony is doing with the PS4.  Wired seems to have debunked the rumor about console requiring always-on internet connectivity and adds a few more tidbits, namely that all Xbox One games will install to the hard drive.  This adds convenience since, after the install, you won't need the disc to play the game because it will be connected to your account, but it adds an interesting fold to the used game market.  Further details are expected at a later time in regards to how the console will deal with playing used games.  No details on price yet either.  I guess we'll just have to wait a few more weeks until E3.  

What did you think of the Xbox One reveal?  Was it all you'd hoped for or did it leave a lot to be desired?  Let us know in the comment section below!

The post Xbox One Revealed appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/xbox-one-revealed/feed/ 9 Kickstarter Watch: Rex Rocket - Retro 2D platformer promises to deliver old school gaming with some decidedly modern (and awesome) features! http://30plusgamer.com/kickstarter-watch-rex-rocket/ http://30plusgamer.com/kickstarter-watch-rex-rocket/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 06:03:06 +0000 Craig Bickford http://30plusgamer.com/?p=3319

ee3ff4b12c7a15f8edea66bf7209c0ee_large

Judging by the look of things in the indie video game scene lately, retro video games are making a comeback. Case in point, Rex Rocket a 2D 8-bit styled action-platformer Kickstarter Project being developed by a three man indie development team consisting of Rob Maher, Tyler Bud, and music by Nigel Shields (Saskrotch).  ss3 Rob Maher, explains Rex Rocket as,
Inspired by the retro glory days of 8-bit games, Rex Rocket is a traditional 2D platformer brought into the 21st century. Paying tribute to classic NES games like Mario, Mega Man, and Metroid, old-school gamers will find Rex Rocket a breath of fresh air, stirring warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia."
According to their Kickstarter Project page, Rex Rocket features one-of-a-kind handmade pixel art, over 100 handcrafted levels connected in an expansive starship with a wide variety of puzzles, enemies, hazards and bosses and an original, chiptunes soundtrack by Saskrotch.

Checkout their awesome gameplay video:

Rex Rocket is currently being developed with the XNA framework for a 100% definite launch on the PC. They also intend to make Rex Rocket available for the Mac, iOS, Linux, XBLIG, Wii U, PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS and OUYA down the road, depending on what stretch goals they meet. Rex Rocket sports terrific 8-bit hand drawn pixel artwork and an awesome original chiptunes soundtrack from Saskrotch along with all of the expected NES-era platforming mechanics with some more modern additions such as teleporting, dashing, wall jumps, and a jet pack! The game is huge with over a 100 hand-crafted levels so exploration is a big part of the gameplay. Item and weapon upgrades, secret areas, collectables, puzzles, and bosses are all present and accounted for to round out the old meets new experience. containment Rex Rocket is due to finish up their funding period on May 26, 2013 so if you would like to head over and help get this game and into their stretch goals you had better head over quick! They've already hit their funding goal of $6,000 and their first stretch goal of $9,000 to bring Rex Rocket to the Mac but $12,000 will net us an additional "backstory" scenario while $14,000 will get us an additional 25 levels! As an WAY old school gamer - I'm looking forward to this one!

Click here to head over to the Rex Rocket Kickstarter Page

[simple_series title="Kickstarter Watch"]

The post Kickstarter Watch: Rex Rocket appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> ee3ff4b12c7a15f8edea66bf7209c0ee_large

Judging by the look of things in the indie video game scene lately, retro video games are making a comeback. Case in point, Rex Rocket a 2D 8-bit styled action-platformer Kickstarter Project being developed by a three man indie development team consisting of Rob Maher, Tyler Bud, and music by Nigel Shields (Saskrotch).  ss3 Rob Maher, explains Rex Rocket as,
Inspired by the retro glory days of 8-bit games, Rex Rocket is a traditional 2D platformer brought into the 21st century. Paying tribute to classic NES games like Mario, Mega Man, and Metroid, old-school gamers will find Rex Rocket a breath of fresh air, stirring warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia."
According to their Kickstarter Project page, Rex Rocket features one-of-a-kind handmade pixel art, over 100 handcrafted levels connected in an expansive starship with a wide variety of puzzles, enemies, hazards and bosses and an original, chiptunes soundtrack by Saskrotch.

Checkout their awesome gameplay video:

Rex Rocket is currently being developed with the XNA framework for a 100% definite launch on the PC. They also intend to make Rex Rocket available for the Mac, iOS, Linux, XBLIG, Wii U, PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS and OUYA down the road, depending on what stretch goals they meet. Rex Rocket sports terrific 8-bit hand drawn pixel artwork and an awesome original chiptunes soundtrack from Saskrotch along with all of the expected NES-era platforming mechanics with some more modern additions such as teleporting, dashing, wall jumps, and a jet pack! The game is huge with over a 100 hand-crafted levels so exploration is a big part of the gameplay. Item and weapon upgrades, secret areas, collectables, puzzles, and bosses are all present and accounted for to round out the old meets new experience. containment Rex Rocket is due to finish up their funding period on May 26, 2013 so if you would like to head over and help get this game and into their stretch goals you had better head over quick! They've already hit their funding goal of $6,000 and their first stretch goal of $9,000 to bring Rex Rocket to the Mac but $12,000 will net us an additional "backstory" scenario while $14,000 will get us an additional 25 levels! As an WAY old school gamer - I'm looking forward to this one!

Click here to head over to the Rex Rocket Kickstarter Page

[simple_series title="Kickstarter Watch"]

The post Kickstarter Watch: Rex Rocket appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/kickstarter-watch-rex-rocket/feed/ 3 Top 10 Mindboggling Plot Twists in Video Games - A list of moments in gaming that will make your head spin http://30plusgamer.com/top-10-mindboggling-plot-twists-in-video-games/ http://30plusgamer.com/top-10-mindboggling-plot-twists-in-video-games/#comments Sun, 19 May 2013 17:57:51 +0000 Jeremy Woodcock http://30plusgamer.com/?p=2946

saywhat.png

I'm a sucker for a great story so I love coming across a good plot twist that shakes me to my core.  I thought back to the most memorable moments that I've come across.  Bear in mind, I'm mostly a console gamer so I'm bound to miss some big ones like System Shock 2 (I know there's a twist, but I haven't gotten to it yet.  I'm playing through it currently when I have time.)  Now that that's out of the way, let's have a look at my top 10 favorite plot twists in gaming.

[dropshadowbox align="center" effect="lifted-both" width="500px" height="" background_color="#d71717" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***

HEAVY SPOILERS BELOW! If you haven't completed any of the games mentioned here, PROCEED WITH CAUTION or come back later.  I don't want to ruin anything for anyone. Consider this as a final warning. The games involved are (in this order):

Bioshock, Killer 7, Final Fantasy 7, Metroid, Braid, Heavy Rain, Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Shadow of the Colossus, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***

[/dropshadowbox]

Bioshock

[youtube id="qDcY-z2bi-8" width="600" height="350"]

From the beginning, your objectives in Bioshock are straightforward:

  1. Save Atlas' family.
  2. Kill Andrew Ryan.
  3. Escape Rapture.

When you finally meet Ryan though, you're entire world get turned upside-down.  It turns out that the entire time Atlas, who's actually Fontaine, was playing you all along using a simple yet powerful phrase to trigger actions that you're conditioned to obey.  It was a great moment and a spot-on critique on how modern games tend to string you along.  With that scene with Ryan, three plain words took on a whole new meaning.

Killer 7

[youtube id="zSI1oEodwrc" width="600" height="350"]

No doubt about it, Killer 7 was an extremely strange game.  The story wasn't exactly easy to follow or understand from what I remember.  What I do remember is my jaw dropping when I found out that everything that had been fed to me was the delusions of one man: Garcian.  While you're told that you play as 7 different assassins, you're actually just a man filled with regret who took on several personas of former victims.  Not only that, but he's not even who he thinks he is.  Maybe it can be attributed to the fact that I beat Killer 7 sometime around 3am, but I remember having my mind blown when I found out the truth.

Final Fantasy 7

 

This is probably a shocker to exactly 0 people.  We all know the scene I'm going to mention.  Aeris sitting their praying for the planet.  Things finally seem to be going somewhat well.  Then, out of nowhere, Sephiroth falls from the sky and impales her with his sword.  At that time, I'd never hated a character more than I did Sephiroth.

Metroid

 

Nowadays, it's common knowledge among gamers that Samus Aran from Metroid is a female.  When it first came out though, most people playing through the game probably thought they were playing as a guy.  You're running around and generally kicking tons of butt so it has to be a man, right?  Imagine everyone's surprise when they finished the game and found out that Samus was really a bikini-clad badass.

Braid

[youtube id="f1hRReQkaBs" width="600" height="350"]

Poor Tim.  His girlfriend was taken to another castle by some brute of a knight.  At least that's what you're to believe given the information learned from the books on display before each chapter.  Just when you're about to be reunited with your long lost love, time stops.  All you can do is rewind time and learn what's going on.  I felt sad for Tim, but I couldn't help be disgusted and betrayed by his actions.  The rest of the game is incredible, but this revelation alone made me an instant fan of Braid and its creator, Jonathan Blow.

Heavy Rain

 [youtube id="nhdfBIh4XFQ" width="600" height="350"]

Throughout Heavy Rain, you're playing as 4 characters whose stories tend to blend together toward a single purpose: finding a missing boy and stopping the Origami Killer.  The only problem is that one of the characters is the Origami Killer and is actively working against the others.  It's bad enough that we find out that we've been back-stabbed by the perpetrator, but then as the killer, we're forced to eliminate the evidence that would lead back to us.  Diabolical but well-played, Quantic Dream...

Metal Gear Solid

 

I feel like after reaching the middle section of Metal Gear Solid you get bombarded by head spinning moments.  Liquid Snake is Solid Snake's brother.  Not only that, they're both results of the Les Enfants Terrible project, which means that they're essentially clones of Big Boss.  To add to all of this, one of the people helping Solid Snake complete his mission, Master Miller, is revealed to be Liquid Snake.  There are a lot of other big, shocking moments in the game but learning everything about the twin Snake's histories took the cake for me.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

 [youtube id="0-Hp6PLg2Xc" width="600" height="350"]

Congratulations!  You've made it to the end and have stopped Richter from resurrecting Dracula!  Everything is right with the world.  Wrong!  There's another, inverted castle.  Dracula will be revived soon.  Get back to work, Alucard.

Shadow of the Colossus

 [youtube id="q4DTnX44f0M" width="600" height="350"]

Even though it's hinted at in the beginning that the main character may or may not survive the ritual to revive his female companion, what transpires at the end of Shadow of the Colossus never ceases to amaze me.  The mysterious, malevolent entity known as Dormin has used Wander to unbind him from his prison.  Long ago, Dormin was split into 16 pieces and sealed within the 16 colossi.  By slaying them all, Wander has unknowingly released Dormin's full power and is eventually consumed and possessed by Dormin.  It's heartbreaking, beautiful, and one of the main reasons that Shadow of the Colossus is one of my favorite games of all time.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

 

As Phoenix Wright would say, "What tangled webs we weave, when we practice to deceive".  What starts out as an open and shut murder case explodes into an investigation into an entirely separate, but ultimately connected, murder mystery from several years prior.  If Miles Edgeworth didn't do it, who could've had a motive and why would they want to frame him?  It turns out that all things lead back to the DL-6 investigation, something hinted at in a previous trial, and the one tarnishing mark that was added to Manfred von Karma's record.  The result brings justice to the true criminal and also proves that Edgeworth is, in fact, a good person, contrary to what you're expected to believe up until that time.

 

Think I missed something?  Let me know in the comment section below.  For everyone's sake, I'd appreciate it if you'd try to be as vague as possible.

The post Top 10 Mindboggling Plot Twists in Video Games appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> saywhat.png

I'm a sucker for a great story so I love coming across a good plot twist that shakes me to my core.  I thought back to the most memorable moments that I've come across.  Bear in mind, I'm mostly a console gamer so I'm bound to miss some big ones like System Shock 2 (I know there's a twist, but I haven't gotten to it yet.  I'm playing through it currently when I have time.)  Now that that's out of the way, let's have a look at my top 10 favorite plot twists in gaming.

[dropshadowbox align="center" effect="lifted-both" width="500px" height="" background_color="#d71717" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***

HEAVY SPOILERS BELOW! If you haven't completed any of the games mentioned here, PROCEED WITH CAUTION or come back later.  I don't want to ruin anything for anyone. Consider this as a final warning. The games involved are (in this order):

Bioshock, Killer 7, Final Fantasy 7, Metroid, Braid, Heavy Rain, Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Shadow of the Colossus, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***

[/dropshadowbox]

Bioshock

[youtube id="qDcY-z2bi-8" width="600" height="350"]

From the beginning, your objectives in Bioshock are straightforward:

  1. Save Atlas' family.
  2. Kill Andrew Ryan.
  3. Escape Rapture.

When you finally meet Ryan though, you're entire world get turned upside-down.  It turns out that the entire time Atlas, who's actually Fontaine, was playing you all along using a simple yet powerful phrase to trigger actions that you're conditioned to obey.  It was a great moment and a spot-on critique on how modern games tend to string you along.  With that scene with Ryan, three plain words took on a whole new meaning.

Killer 7

[youtube id="zSI1oEodwrc" width="600" height="350"]

No doubt about it, Killer 7 was an extremely strange game.  The story wasn't exactly easy to follow or understand from what I remember.  What I do remember is my jaw dropping when I found out that everything that had been fed to me was the delusions of one man: Garcian.  While you're told that you play as 7 different assassins, you're actually just a man filled with regret who took on several personas of former victims.  Not only that, but he's not even who he thinks he is.  Maybe it can be attributed to the fact that I beat Killer 7 sometime around 3am, but I remember having my mind blown when I found out the truth.

Final Fantasy 7

 

This is probably a shocker to exactly 0 people.  We all know the scene I'm going to mention.  Aeris sitting their praying for the planet.  Things finally seem to be going somewhat well.  Then, out of nowhere, Sephiroth falls from the sky and impales her with his sword.  At that time, I'd never hated a character more than I did Sephiroth.

Metroid

 

Nowadays, it's common knowledge among gamers that Samus Aran from Metroid is a female.  When it first came out though, most people playing through the game probably thought they were playing as a guy.  You're running around and generally kicking tons of butt so it has to be a man, right?  Imagine everyone's surprise when they finished the game and found out that Samus was really a bikini-clad badass.

Braid

[youtube id="f1hRReQkaBs" width="600" height="350"]

Poor Tim.  His girlfriend was taken to another castle by some brute of a knight.  At least that's what you're to believe given the information learned from the books on display before each chapter.  Just when you're about to be reunited with your long lost love, time stops.  All you can do is rewind time and learn what's going on.  I felt sad for Tim, but I couldn't help be disgusted and betrayed by his actions.  The rest of the game is incredible, but this revelation alone made me an instant fan of Braid and its creator, Jonathan Blow.

Heavy Rain

 [youtube id="nhdfBIh4XFQ" width="600" height="350"]

Throughout Heavy Rain, you're playing as 4 characters whose stories tend to blend together toward a single purpose: finding a missing boy and stopping the Origami Killer.  The only problem is that one of the characters is the Origami Killer and is actively working against the others.  It's bad enough that we find out that we've been back-stabbed by the perpetrator, but then as the killer, we're forced to eliminate the evidence that would lead back to us.  Diabolical but well-played, Quantic Dream...

Metal Gear Solid

 

I feel like after reaching the middle section of Metal Gear Solid you get bombarded by head spinning moments.  Liquid Snake is Solid Snake's brother.  Not only that, they're both results of the Les Enfants Terrible project, which means that they're essentially clones of Big Boss.  To add to all of this, one of the people helping Solid Snake complete his mission, Master Miller, is revealed to be Liquid Snake.  There are a lot of other big, shocking moments in the game but learning everything about the twin Snake's histories took the cake for me.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

 [youtube id="0-Hp6PLg2Xc" width="600" height="350"]

Congratulations!  You've made it to the end and have stopped Richter from resurrecting Dracula!  Everything is right with the world.  Wrong!  There's another, inverted castle.  Dracula will be revived soon.  Get back to work, Alucard.

Shadow of the Colossus

 [youtube id="q4DTnX44f0M" width="600" height="350"]

Even though it's hinted at in the beginning that the main character may or may not survive the ritual to revive his female companion, what transpires at the end of Shadow of the Colossus never ceases to amaze me.  The mysterious, malevolent entity known as Dormin has used Wander to unbind him from his prison.  Long ago, Dormin was split into 16 pieces and sealed within the 16 colossi.  By slaying them all, Wander has unknowingly released Dormin's full power and is eventually consumed and possessed by Dormin.  It's heartbreaking, beautiful, and one of the main reasons that Shadow of the Colossus is one of my favorite games of all time.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

 

As Phoenix Wright would say, "What tangled webs we weave, when we practice to deceive".  What starts out as an open and shut murder case explodes into an investigation into an entirely separate, but ultimately connected, murder mystery from several years prior.  If Miles Edgeworth didn't do it, who could've had a motive and why would they want to frame him?  It turns out that all things lead back to the DL-6 investigation, something hinted at in a previous trial, and the one tarnishing mark that was added to Manfred von Karma's record.  The result brings justice to the true criminal and also proves that Edgeworth is, in fact, a good person, contrary to what you're expected to believe up until that time.

 

Think I missed something?  Let me know in the comment section below.  For everyone's sake, I'd appreciate it if you'd try to be as vague as possible.

The post Top 10 Mindboggling Plot Twists in Video Games appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/top-10-mindboggling-plot-twists-in-video-games/feed/ 5 The Weekly Backtrack 05/13 – 05/17 - The biggest video game news this week! http://30plusgamer.com/the-weekly-backtrack-0513-0517/ http://30plusgamer.com/the-weekly-backtrack-0513-0517/#comments Sun, 19 May 2013 00:45:14 +0000 Sergio David Cazares, Megan Pearson, Jeremy Woodcock http://30plusgamer.com/?p=3062

WeeklyBacktrack_WIP2

Welcome to the Weekly Backtrack! A new 30Plusgamer EXCLUSIVE column where we replay all of the big video game news of the past week. Check it out every Saturday and get your video game news on. This week we have Super Metroid on sale for the Wii U VC for 30¢, a couple of newly revealed games, and interesting bits about 2 of Nintendo's relationships with third-party developers.

[tabs tab1="MON 05/13" tab2="TUE 05/14" tab3="WED 05/15" tab4="THU 05/16" tab5="FRI 05/17"]

[tab]

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies confirmed for EU and NA release

Capcom confirmed that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies would be release in Europe and North America this fall.  Fans of the series have been waiting to find out for a while now if the 3DS iteration would be arriving in the West.  There is a caveat though.  It was announced that the title would be digital download only.  As of now, there is no mention of if there will be a discounted price point because of this.

[youtube id="cBUlKndLWo" width="600" height="350"]

[/tab]

[tab]

War Thunder officially announced for PS4

[youtube id="5BWqTXoNjtQ" width="600" height="350"]

Coming this holiday season, you'll be able to play the World War 2 MMO, War Thunder, when it comes to the PS4.  You'll be able to wage real-time war by land, air, and sea, and you'll get additional improvements like being able to easily capture and share videos with the PS4's Share button.

The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses - Concert Tour Dates

Legend of Zelda fans, there is an upcoming concert titled The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses.The tour in Europe will begin on May 23rd in London, May 25th in Paris, and May 28th in Berlin, and will return to North America in select cities starting June 6th in Atlanta until October 19th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is an obvious treat for Zelda fans that want to hear their favorite orchestrated tunes from the beloved series. Purchase your tickets soon by clicking on this image if you want to attend.

[/tab]

[tab]

Super Metroid for the Wii U Virtual Console on sale for 30 cents until June 11th

The Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign continues with the release of Super Metroid for 30 cents. Yes, that’s right, for the price of just three dimes Super Metroid can be yours for the Wii U Virtual Console. Even if you already own the original Virtual Console version (or the original SNES version for that matter), 30 cents is an absolute steal! This is a limited time offer. After June 11th, the price will be reverted to the full price of $8, or $1.50 if you own the original VC game. Wii U owners, buy this game NOW!

Gran Turismo 6 announced for the PS3

[youtube id="7naFe7RWARg" width="600" height="350"]

Most likely a shock to many, Sony announced that the next iteration of its hit racing series, Gran Turismo 6, will be released this holiday season on the PS3.  There will be new tracks, new cars, and a revamped user interface, among other added features.  The biggest surprise of this news is obviously that it isn't coming to PS4 which is also expected by the end of this year.  Considering that they're looking to launch another new driving simulation IP, Drive Club, it isn't too surprising though.

EA Cancels Online Pass

Awhile back EA implemented the Online Pass system which been getting a lot of negative feedback. They claimed the system was to lump DLC and online content together, yet a lot of players complained that the system seemed to punish gamers, specifically those that bought used titles. Despite EA's seemingly negative reputation with a lot of gamers as a company, it's refreshing to see that they are really listening to what consumers want in this case.

[/tab]

[tab]

New content added to the Wii U VC and 3DS eShop

Nintendo has brought a few more goodies to the Wii U Virtual Console and the 3DS eShop.  Some of the highlights are:

Wii U

  • Super Mario Bros. 2 (for $2.50 if you purchase Super Mario World!)
  • Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts
  • King of Fighters '99
  • Resident Evil: Revelations (Demo)

3DS

  • The Starship Damrey
  • Swords and Soldiers 3D
  • Bowling Bonanza
  • Dress to Play: Magic Bubbles
  • Mega Man 5
  • Harvest Moon

EA reportedly supporting the Wii U no more

According to Kotaku, EA supposedly has no planned releases for the Wii U in the foreseeable future.  This news comes shortly after it was mentioned that the Frostbite 3 engine would not be coming to the Wii U either due to performance issues.  You can see the tweet from the Technical Director of DICE below.  This is a pretty big blow for the already troubled console.

[/tab]

[tab]

Nintendo Direct offers new info and a surprise or two

New information on upcoming Nintendo games like New Super Luigi U, Pikmin 3, and The Wonderful 101 was given during the 5/17 Nintendo Direct video.  Iwata also mentioned that Sega and Nintendo have entered into a partnership to create a new Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic: Lost World, exclusively for the Wii U and 3DS.  You can find out more in depth coverage by checking out Duncan's overview here.

[/tab]

[/tabs]

[simple_series title="The Weekly Backtrack"]

 

The post The Weekly Backtrack 05/13 – 05/17 appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> WeeklyBacktrack_WIP2

Welcome to the Weekly Backtrack! A new 30Plusgamer EXCLUSIVE column where we replay all of the big video game news of the past week. Check it out every Saturday and get your video game news on. This week we have Super Metroid on sale for the Wii U VC for 30¢, a couple of newly revealed games, and interesting bits about 2 of Nintendo's relationships with third-party developers.

[tabs tab1="MON 05/13" tab2="TUE 05/14" tab3="WED 05/15" tab4="THU 05/16" tab5="FRI 05/17"]

[tab]

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies confirmed for EU and NA release

Capcom confirmed that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies would be release in Europe and North America this fall.  Fans of the series have been waiting to find out for a while now if the 3DS iteration would be arriving in the West.  There is a caveat though.  It was announced that the title would be digital download only.  As of now, there is no mention of if there will be a discounted price point because of this.

[youtube id="cBUlKndLWo" width="600" height="350"]

[/tab]

[tab]

War Thunder officially announced for PS4

[youtube id="5BWqTXoNjtQ" width="600" height="350"]

Coming this holiday season, you'll be able to play the World War 2 MMO, War Thunder, when it comes to the PS4.  You'll be able to wage real-time war by land, air, and sea, and you'll get additional improvements like being able to easily capture and share videos with the PS4's Share button.

The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses - Concert Tour Dates

Legend of Zelda fans, there is an upcoming concert titled The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses.The tour in Europe will begin on May 23rd in London, May 25th in Paris, and May 28th in Berlin, and will return to North America in select cities starting June 6th in Atlanta until October 19th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is an obvious treat for Zelda fans that want to hear their favorite orchestrated tunes from the beloved series. Purchase your tickets soon by clicking on this image if you want to attend.

[/tab]

[tab]

Super Metroid for the Wii U Virtual Console on sale for 30 cents until June 11th

The Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign continues with the release of Super Metroid for 30 cents. Yes, that’s right, for the price of just three dimes Super Metroid can be yours for the Wii U Virtual Console. Even if you already own the original Virtual Console version (or the original SNES version for that matter), 30 cents is an absolute steal! This is a limited time offer. After June 11th, the price will be reverted to the full price of $8, or $1.50 if you own the original VC game. Wii U owners, buy this game NOW!

Gran Turismo 6 announced for the PS3

[youtube id="7naFe7RWARg" width="600" height="350"]

Most likely a shock to many, Sony announced that the next iteration of its hit racing series, Gran Turismo 6, will be released this holiday season on the PS3.  There will be new tracks, new cars, and a revamped user interface, among other added features.  The biggest surprise of this news is obviously that it isn't coming to PS4 which is also expected by the end of this year.  Considering that they're looking to launch another new driving simulation IP, Drive Club, it isn't too surprising though.

EA Cancels Online Pass

Awhile back EA implemented the Online Pass system which been getting a lot of negative feedback. They claimed the system was to lump DLC and online content together, yet a lot of players complained that the system seemed to punish gamers, specifically those that bought used titles. Despite EA's seemingly negative reputation with a lot of gamers as a company, it's refreshing to see that they are really listening to what consumers want in this case.

[/tab]

[tab]

New content added to the Wii U VC and 3DS eShop

Nintendo has brought a few more goodies to the Wii U Virtual Console and the 3DS eShop.  Some of the highlights are:

Wii U

  • Super Mario Bros. 2 (for $2.50 if you purchase Super Mario World!)
  • Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts
  • King of Fighters '99
  • Resident Evil: Revelations (Demo)

3DS

  • The Starship Damrey
  • Swords and Soldiers 3D
  • Bowling Bonanza
  • Dress to Play: Magic Bubbles
  • Mega Man 5
  • Harvest Moon

EA reportedly supporting the Wii U no more

According to Kotaku, EA supposedly has no planned releases for the Wii U in the foreseeable future.  This news comes shortly after it was mentioned that the Frostbite 3 engine would not be coming to the Wii U either due to performance issues.  You can see the tweet from the Technical Director of DICE below.  This is a pretty big blow for the already troubled console.

[/tab]

[tab]

Nintendo Direct offers new info and a surprise or two

New information on upcoming Nintendo games like New Super Luigi U, Pikmin 3, and The Wonderful 101 was given during the 5/17 Nintendo Direct video.  Iwata also mentioned that Sega and Nintendo have entered into a partnership to create a new Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic: Lost World, exclusively for the Wii U and 3DS.  You can find out more in depth coverage by checking out Duncan's overview here.

[/tab]

[/tabs]

[simple_series title="The Weekly Backtrack"]

 

The post The Weekly Backtrack 05/13 – 05/17 appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/the-weekly-backtrack-0513-0517/feed/ 3 Wii U @ E3 : First Nintendo Direct - An overview of the Nintendo Direct for 05/17/13 http://30plusgamer.com/wii-u-e3-first-nintendo-direct/ http://30plusgamer.com/wii-u-e3-first-nintendo-direct/#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 23:20:53 +0000 Duncan Baxter http://30plusgamer.com/?p=3201

Wii-U-GamePad

As Nintendo will be skipping a main E3 conference this year, they are holding at least two Nintendo Directs.  The first of these focused on upcoming games for the next couple of months and also detailed a new exclusive partnership with Sega for Sonic the Hedgehog.  There were three Nintendo Directs going on simultaneously in the US, Europe, and Japan.  The European and US Nintendo Directs were largely the same, but there was a wee extra surprise in the Japanese Nintendo Direct.

Here's a summary of what was covered in the Nintendo Direct:

  1. Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games was announced and shown for the Wii U.
  2. Sonic: Lost World announced for Wii U.  
  3. Sonic will have 3 titles that are exclusive to Nintendo. 
  4. Yakuza 1 and 2 HD announced for Wii U.  (Only to Japan at present)
  5. The Wonderful 101 to be released August 23rd in Europe and September 15th in the U.S.
  6. New Super Luigi U dated and priced and will have a boxed version. [EU: DLC - June 20th / Boxed version - July 26th; US: DLC - June 20th / Boxed version - August 25th ($19.99 and $29.99, respectively)]
  7. Pikmin 3 dated for Europe on July 26th and August 4th for U.S.
  8. Lots of Game Gear titles will be coming to the 3DS:

• Columns
• Crystal Warriors
• Defenders of Oasis
• Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
• G-LOC: Air Battles
• Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya
• Sonic Blast
• Sonic Drift 2
• Sonic Labyrinth
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Tails Adventure
• Vampire: Master of Darkness

Overall for me, this Nintendo Direct conference was a bit of a disappointment due to the quality of the last one.  Also I am now concerned with the "big" Nintendo Direct expected around E3. We didn't get to see Wii Fit U and Wind Waker HD, which I had expected to see in this Nintendo Direct so there would room in the next Direct for some bombshells.  This Nintendo Direct could have been better, but it's not as bad as some are making out to be.  I would give this one a grade of C+.

You can view this Nintendo Direct in its entirety here:

[youtube id="8w8pYTc6QEk" width="600" height="350"]

The post Wii U @ E3 : First Nintendo Direct appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> Wii-U-GamePad

As Nintendo will be skipping a main E3 conference this year, they are holding at least two Nintendo Directs.  The first of these focused on upcoming games for the next couple of months and also detailed a new exclusive partnership with Sega for Sonic the Hedgehog.  There were three Nintendo Directs going on simultaneously in the US, Europe, and Japan.  The European and US Nintendo Directs were largely the same, but there was a wee extra surprise in the Japanese Nintendo Direct.

Here's a summary of what was covered in the Nintendo Direct:

  1. Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games was announced and shown for the Wii U.
  2. Sonic: Lost World announced for Wii U.  
  3. Sonic will have 3 titles that are exclusive to Nintendo. 
  4. Yakuza 1 and 2 HD announced for Wii U.  (Only to Japan at present)
  5. The Wonderful 101 to be released August 23rd in Europe and September 15th in the U.S.
  6. New Super Luigi U dated and priced and will have a boxed version. [EU: DLC - June 20th / Boxed version - July 26th; US: DLC - June 20th / Boxed version - August 25th ($19.99 and $29.99, respectively)]
  7. Pikmin 3 dated for Europe on July 26th and August 4th for U.S.
  8. Lots of Game Gear titles will be coming to the 3DS:

• Columns
• Crystal Warriors
• Defenders of Oasis
• Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
• G-LOC: Air Battles
• Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya
• Sonic Blast
• Sonic Drift 2
• Sonic Labyrinth
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Tails Adventure
• Vampire: Master of Darkness

Overall for me, this Nintendo Direct conference was a bit of a disappointment due to the quality of the last one.  Also I am now concerned with the "big" Nintendo Direct expected around E3. We didn't get to see Wii Fit U and Wind Waker HD, which I had expected to see in this Nintendo Direct so there would room in the next Direct for some bombshells.  This Nintendo Direct could have been better, but it's not as bad as some are making out to be.  I would give this one a grade of C+.

You can view this Nintendo Direct in its entirety here:

[youtube id="8w8pYTc6QEk" width="600" height="350"]

The post Wii U @ E3 : First Nintendo Direct appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/wii-u-e3-first-nintendo-direct/feed/ 0 Top 7 Weird Video Games - Creepy, strange, shocking, and just plain weird video games http://30plusgamer.com/top-7-weird-video-games/ http://30plusgamer.com/top-7-weird-video-games/#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:55 +0000 Megan Pearson http://30plusgamer.com/?p=3055

weird,main1

The following games seemed to want to embrace being weird.  Strange plots, crazy gameplay, and even a few head scratching moments ensure that these games can never be described as normal.  They are my picks for just plain weird video games.

1. Katamari Series

 weird,katamari

It's very true that Katamari is one of the most popular game franchises out there. It's fun, cute, and very addictive. However when you stop and think about it, it's more than a little weird. Every game begins with the King of All Cosmos destroying the solar system in some fashion. He got drunk, angry, a little over enthusiastic playing sports, you know the standard stuff. He then demands The Prince to roll a ball around, sucking up things in it's path to make it grow to replace the things the King destroyed. Some how this crazy system equals one of the most fun games ever, but you can't help but shake your head at the craziness of this game. Add in the bright colors and crazy soundtrack, and everything adds up to just plain silly.

 

2. LSD Dream Emulator

 weird,lsd

This really isn't a game at all. Instead the player simply walks around any number of strange environments, each time you bump into an object or wall you are transported to a different environment. These “dreams” happen for ten minuets and are added to the flashbacks. The only real danger in the dreams are a man in a gray trench coat. If the player gets too close the screen will flash and he will disappear. The dreams this happens in aren't able to be recalled later. What is really amazing about this game is that even though there are a limited number of environments they never really look the same. The game was based on a dream journal kept by a member of Asmik Ace Entertainment and it's no stretch to say his dreams were messed up. LSD Dream Emulator is fascinating but also very disturbing.

 

3. Chulip

 weird,chulip

Chulip is described as an action/simulation game. To be honest it's a kissing game. The whole point of the game is to figure out who to kiss and when. There is a bit of a challenge because you can't just kiss any random NPC at any time. Sometimes you have to do favors for them, and certain NPCs only come out at certain times a day according to the in-game clock. Ultimately though, it's a kissing game. It's also worth noting that this game is all about trying to impress a girl, and the ability to kiss is what helps the player rise to the top of corporations and meeting aliens. That's right because the only thing more convoluted than the fact that this is a kissing game is the actual plot in which this game takes place. If you can embrace the strange though, it's a decent game.

 

4. Mr. Mosquito

 weird,mr

You play as a mosquito that lives in a house with a family. Each day/stage you have to collect a certain amount of blood to continue. There are only certain parts of the body that the player can suck at various times through out the game. You also have to be careful to not suck blood too fast or too slow.  To top it off there is no shortage of creepy, since the mosquito often has to go after women when they are in suggestive positions.  It's really hard to find the words to describe this game.

 

5. Seaman

 weird,sea

Much like Dream Emulator this isn't much of a game either. Seaman is more of a Virtual Pet. You are responsible for the everyday care of a creature. You have to learn about it, and develop it in many different stages. Sounds pretty normal right? It is until you realize that the creature starts as a fish with a man's face and eventually grows into a frog with a man's face. There's really nothing normal about the creature. Sprinkle on Leonard Nimoy guiding you through the world of caring for these animals and it's safe to classify this game as STRANGE.

 

6. Catherine

 weird,cath

Catherine is a horror/puzzle game. In it Vincent, the main character, is feeling pressured to get married. Their little community is also suffering from a number of strange occurrences. Vincent begins to have nightmares, which is where the actual gameplay comes in. He also meets a woman and begins to cheat on his girlfriend with her, but it only seems to make the nightmares more frequent. The strange rumors around town kind of seem to be a red herring though, as the game is really all about Vincent's inability to commit. That's a lot to go through for a game to have a message about commitment. So strange gameplay with strange plot just leaves this as being a weird experience. An enjoyable one none the less though.

 

7. Chex Quest

 weird,chex

This game in and of itself is not weird. Chex cereal created this non-violent game that was included with their product. It's clear product buy-in because you are Chex Man protecting the cereal from aliens that want to eat it. What makes this game strange is the fact that it's was basically Doom for children. They used the same engine, modeled multiple levels after Doom levels. Had the same HUD system and controls. They borrowed everything from Doom except the violence and fear (which is pretty important to Doom). I give them credit for wanting to give young kids something to play when computer games were really taking off, however as an adult seeing that game after Doom it's a bit shocking. It's hard not to put a child's game that tried to emulate one of the least kid friendly games ever created on a list of strange games.

The post Top 7 Weird Video Games appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> weird,main1

The following games seemed to want to embrace being weird.  Strange plots, crazy gameplay, and even a few head scratching moments ensure that these games can never be described as normal.  They are my picks for just plain weird video games.

1. Katamari Series

 weird,katamari

It's very true that Katamari is one of the most popular game franchises out there. It's fun, cute, and very addictive. However when you stop and think about it, it's more than a little weird. Every game begins with the King of All Cosmos destroying the solar system in some fashion. He got drunk, angry, a little over enthusiastic playing sports, you know the standard stuff. He then demands The Prince to roll a ball around, sucking up things in it's path to make it grow to replace the things the King destroyed. Some how this crazy system equals one of the most fun games ever, but you can't help but shake your head at the craziness of this game. Add in the bright colors and crazy soundtrack, and everything adds up to just plain silly.

 

2. LSD Dream Emulator

 weird,lsd

This really isn't a game at all. Instead the player simply walks around any number of strange environments, each time you bump into an object or wall you are transported to a different environment. These “dreams” happen for ten minuets and are added to the flashbacks. The only real danger in the dreams are a man in a gray trench coat. If the player gets too close the screen will flash and he will disappear. The dreams this happens in aren't able to be recalled later. What is really amazing about this game is that even though there are a limited number of environments they never really look the same. The game was based on a dream journal kept by a member of Asmik Ace Entertainment and it's no stretch to say his dreams were messed up. LSD Dream Emulator is fascinating but also very disturbing.

 

3. Chulip

 weird,chulip

Chulip is described as an action/simulation game. To be honest it's a kissing game. The whole point of the game is to figure out who to kiss and when. There is a bit of a challenge because you can't just kiss any random NPC at any time. Sometimes you have to do favors for them, and certain NPCs only come out at certain times a day according to the in-game clock. Ultimately though, it's a kissing game. It's also worth noting that this game is all about trying to impress a girl, and the ability to kiss is what helps the player rise to the top of corporations and meeting aliens. That's right because the only thing more convoluted than the fact that this is a kissing game is the actual plot in which this game takes place. If you can embrace the strange though, it's a decent game.

 

4. Mr. Mosquito

 weird,mr

You play as a mosquito that lives in a house with a family. Each day/stage you have to collect a certain amount of blood to continue. There are only certain parts of the body that the player can suck at various times through out the game. You also have to be careful to not suck blood too fast or too slow.  To top it off there is no shortage of creepy, since the mosquito often has to go after women when they are in suggestive positions.  It's really hard to find the words to describe this game.

 

5. Seaman

 weird,sea

Much like Dream Emulator this isn't much of a game either. Seaman is more of a Virtual Pet. You are responsible for the everyday care of a creature. You have to learn about it, and develop it in many different stages. Sounds pretty normal right? It is until you realize that the creature starts as a fish with a man's face and eventually grows into a frog with a man's face. There's really nothing normal about the creature. Sprinkle on Leonard Nimoy guiding you through the world of caring for these animals and it's safe to classify this game as STRANGE.

 

6. Catherine

 weird,cath

Catherine is a horror/puzzle game. In it Vincent, the main character, is feeling pressured to get married. Their little community is also suffering from a number of strange occurrences. Vincent begins to have nightmares, which is where the actual gameplay comes in. He also meets a woman and begins to cheat on his girlfriend with her, but it only seems to make the nightmares more frequent. The strange rumors around town kind of seem to be a red herring though, as the game is really all about Vincent's inability to commit. That's a lot to go through for a game to have a message about commitment. So strange gameplay with strange plot just leaves this as being a weird experience. An enjoyable one none the less though.

 

7. Chex Quest

 weird,chex

This game in and of itself is not weird. Chex cereal created this non-violent game that was included with their product. It's clear product buy-in because you are Chex Man protecting the cereal from aliens that want to eat it. What makes this game strange is the fact that it's was basically Doom for children. They used the same engine, modeled multiple levels after Doom levels. Had the same HUD system and controls. They borrowed everything from Doom except the violence and fear (which is pretty important to Doom). I give them credit for wanting to give young kids something to play when computer games were really taking off, however as an adult seeing that game after Doom it's a bit shocking. It's hard not to put a child's game that tried to emulate one of the least kid friendly games ever created on a list of strange games.

The post Top 7 Weird Video Games appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/top-7-weird-video-games/feed/ 3 Retro Rewind: Mega Man (Wii U Virtual Console/NES) Review - The original, but not necessarily the best. http://30plusgamer.com/retro-rewind-mega-man-wii-u-virtual-console-nes-review/ http://30plusgamer.com/retro-rewind-mega-man-wii-u-virtual-console-nes-review/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:40 +0000 Sergio Cazares http://30plusgamer.com/?p=2978

Mega_Man_600_300

Mega Man (Wii U Virtual Console/NES) Review

When Capcom released Mega Man for the NES, there wasn’t much fanfare. But then along came the sequels , especially Mega Man 2, and the series reached to new heights. It was a blessing in disguise for the original game since it gave gamers a reason to return to the series’ original roots. So, how good was this game really?

Again, the game didn’t receive much fanfare for a reason. The names of Robot Masters such as Fire Man, Elec Man, Guts Man, Cut Man, Bomb Man, and Ice Man sounded very generic, so it wasn’t very much for the gamers to get excited over for. But the game did offer a neat idea of capturing the Robot Master’s weapons when you defeat them; you use those weapons to possibly give more damage to your enemies, especially the Robot Masters in the end of each stage (you get to choose which stage you’d like in order). After defeating six Robot Masters, you face Dr. Wily in 4 sub-stages before encountering the evil scientist himself.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="286"] The original Gang of Six (and Dr. Wily).[/caption]

Like most NES games, the gameplay uses the B (or Y) button to attack and the A (or X) button to jump. When you hit the start button to pause, you’re given a menu of the weapons you collect from the Robot Master. The weapon energy bar displays on how much weapon power you have left; measure of usage varies from each weapon. White pellets restore your life, while the colored ones restore your weapon power. Some pellets offer you bonus points as soon as you defeat each Robot Master (this game was the only game to have this feature).

Each Robot Master stage provides an environment that pertains to it. For example, Ice Man has ice and glaciers, Fire Man has fire enemies and a lava pit, etc. Some stages are a cakewalk, but some are very challenging, such as the beginning of Guts Man stage where you have to time jump platforms that can just drop you to your death.  Since this is a platforming game, you do have to jump, sometimes a lot. Footing is a real pain.

The Select button is also a pause button, but you don’t go to the menu like you with the Start button, it just stops the action. However, hitting the select button repeatedly with careful timing, it becomes a powerful weapon, such as using the Elec Beam to actually make it hit an enemy multiple times. This is one of the best known glitches in the gaming universe.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="356"] Remember the trick to beat this guy?[/caption]

This is also the only Mega Man game without the password feature, so if you want to go far ahead, you’ll just have to defeat each Robot Master yourself. But since this is a Wii U game now, it can give you a Restore Point, so you don’t have to worry about starting all over again, like what the players did with the original NES version.

Since this is the beginning of the Mega Man series, it must be judged on what was thought of or provided back then. The sequels had a password system, a charged shot, Rush, sliding, E-Tanks, Beat, etc. in which the original did not. Still, it might also be a reason on why people often remember the later Mega Man games instead of the original one. Yet, if you take the limitations into account as well as the time the game arrived (1987), this is still a fun game to play.

[simple_series title="Retro Rewind"]

The post Retro Rewind: Mega Man (Wii U Virtual Console/NES) Review appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> Mega_Man_600_300

Mega Man (Wii U Virtual Console/NES) Review

When Capcom released Mega Man for the NES, there wasn’t much fanfare. But then along came the sequels , especially Mega Man 2, and the series reached to new heights. It was a blessing in disguise for the original game since it gave gamers a reason to return to the series’ original roots. So, how good was this game really?

Again, the game didn’t receive much fanfare for a reason. The names of Robot Masters such as Fire Man, Elec Man, Guts Man, Cut Man, Bomb Man, and Ice Man sounded very generic, so it wasn’t very much for the gamers to get excited over for. But the game did offer a neat idea of capturing the Robot Master’s weapons when you defeat them; you use those weapons to possibly give more damage to your enemies, especially the Robot Masters in the end of each stage (you get to choose which stage you’d like in order). After defeating six Robot Masters, you face Dr. Wily in 4 sub-stages before encountering the evil scientist himself.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="286"] The original Gang of Six (and Dr. Wily).[/caption]

Like most NES games, the gameplay uses the B (or Y) button to attack and the A (or X) button to jump. When you hit the start button to pause, you’re given a menu of the weapons you collect from the Robot Master. The weapon energy bar displays on how much weapon power you have left; measure of usage varies from each weapon. White pellets restore your life, while the colored ones restore your weapon power. Some pellets offer you bonus points as soon as you defeat each Robot Master (this game was the only game to have this feature).

Each Robot Master stage provides an environment that pertains to it. For example, Ice Man has ice and glaciers, Fire Man has fire enemies and a lava pit, etc. Some stages are a cakewalk, but some are very challenging, such as the beginning of Guts Man stage where you have to time jump platforms that can just drop you to your death.  Since this is a platforming game, you do have to jump, sometimes a lot. Footing is a real pain.

The Select button is also a pause button, but you don’t go to the menu like you with the Start button, it just stops the action. However, hitting the select button repeatedly with careful timing, it becomes a powerful weapon, such as using the Elec Beam to actually make it hit an enemy multiple times. This is one of the best known glitches in the gaming universe.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="356"] Remember the trick to beat this guy?[/caption]

This is also the only Mega Man game without the password feature, so if you want to go far ahead, you’ll just have to defeat each Robot Master yourself. But since this is a Wii U game now, it can give you a Restore Point, so you don’t have to worry about starting all over again, like what the players did with the original NES version.

Since this is the beginning of the Mega Man series, it must be judged on what was thought of or provided back then. The sequels had a password system, a charged shot, Rush, sliding, E-Tanks, Beat, etc. in which the original did not. Still, it might also be a reason on why people often remember the later Mega Man games instead of the original one. Yet, if you take the limitations into account as well as the time the game arrived (1987), this is still a fun game to play.

[simple_series title="Retro Rewind"]

The post Retro Rewind: Mega Man (Wii U Virtual Console/NES) Review appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/retro-rewind-mega-man-wii-u-virtual-console-nes-review/feed/ 2 Top 8 re-releases for Xbox Live Arcade - Classic games we're happy to get to see again http://30plusgamer.com/top-8-re-releases-for-xbox-live-arcade/ http://30plusgamer.com/top-8-re-releases-for-xbox-live-arcade/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 13:40:39 +0000 Megan Pearson http://30plusgamer.com/?p=2601

main

It seems like rebooting or bringing back old games has become a priority for the big three in gaming. Sony has Home, Nintendo has their Virtual Console, and Microsoft has been adding some old school games to Xbox Live Arcade. Getting a bit of nostalgia is really nice, though the problem comes when it seems companies want to make major changes to these classic titles. The following are what I think are the best classic games you can get from Xbox Live Arcade.

 

Doom series

 doom

Doom translates fairly well from PC to console. The controls are pretty solid and don't feel too clunky. The graphics are updated a bit for the Live Arcade version, but they aren't updated so much that it changes the entire look of the game. The levels all play the same thoughout, and it really looks and feels like Doom is supposed to.

 

The Secret of Monkey Island 1 & 2

 monkey island

These games probably have the most drastic changes. First and foremost, the entire look is changed, and voice acting has been added. Despite the fact that they did make these changes, the heart of both of the games are still there. It's still the same hilarious point-and-click adventure. There is something to be said for the voice acting, which adds to instead of really hurts the game. Also the upgraded graphics still have a nice cartoon feel to them so it works. As an added bonus if you really don't want to play with the upgrades, you can change it to old school mode, and it will look the same as the old game and lose the voice acting.

 

The Simpsons Arcade Game

 simpsons

With this game the graphics have been upgraded a bit. Another welcome change is that they kindly put in difficulty settings. The original arcade version of this game was extremely challenging, and there are difficulties that will bring back those memories of wasted quarters trying to get just a bit further. It's enjoyable and should provide a lot of nostalgia for many gamers, without having to actually pay to keep playing.

 

Crazy Taxi

 taxi

Still the same old crazy game. Crazy Taxi now has a lovely HD makeover, but everything else is the same. It has the same hectic and slightly challenging gameplay. If I had to complain about anything, I wish the audio had gotten a bit more of an upgrade. It's nice hearing a more old school soundtrack, but it does get annoying after awhile.

 

X-Men Arcade

 xmen

This was one of my personal favorite arcade games. It's nice to play it on the 360 and truly feels like the classic arcade game. The other nice thing is this game comes with the Japanese version as well. This version gives player access to certain upgrades that weren't available in American arcades.

 

Banjo Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie

 banjo

Both of these games got some nice polishing to their graphics and audio. The gameplay largely remains unchanged except for one lovely bonus: the controls are largely improved upon. The end result is that the games are slightly easier. There are still some challenges with swimming and flying, but they are much better than they were in their original formats.

 

Rez

 rez

What is very exciting about this game being released on the Live Arcade is how challenging it was to find in it's original format. Many people probably experience Rez for the first time on the 360. That being said the game is largely unchanged. It gets an HD visual upgrade, but other than that it's the same trippy game. It's fun, unique, and exciting, and I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

 

Sonic the Hedgehog series

 sonic

Fans of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games will not be disappointed with these re-releases. They have solid controls and nice graphics. Other than that they look, feel, sound, and play like old Sonic, and that's just perfect with me. It's really nice to have the good old school Sonic the Hedgehog games available to those that didn't hold on to their old consoles.  

The post Top 8 re-releases for Xbox Live Arcade appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> main

It seems like rebooting or bringing back old games has become a priority for the big three in gaming. Sony has Home, Nintendo has their Virtual Console, and Microsoft has been adding some old school games to Xbox Live Arcade. Getting a bit of nostalgia is really nice, though the problem comes when it seems companies want to make major changes to these classic titles. The following are what I think are the best classic games you can get from Xbox Live Arcade.

 

Doom series

 doom

Doom translates fairly well from PC to console. The controls are pretty solid and don't feel too clunky. The graphics are updated a bit for the Live Arcade version, but they aren't updated so much that it changes the entire look of the game. The levels all play the same thoughout, and it really looks and feels like Doom is supposed to.

 

The Secret of Monkey Island 1 & 2

 monkey island

These games probably have the most drastic changes. First and foremost, the entire look is changed, and voice acting has been added. Despite the fact that they did make these changes, the heart of both of the games are still there. It's still the same hilarious point-and-click adventure. There is something to be said for the voice acting, which adds to instead of really hurts the game. Also the upgraded graphics still have a nice cartoon feel to them so it works. As an added bonus if you really don't want to play with the upgrades, you can change it to old school mode, and it will look the same as the old game and lose the voice acting.

 

The Simpsons Arcade Game

 simpsons

With this game the graphics have been upgraded a bit. Another welcome change is that they kindly put in difficulty settings. The original arcade version of this game was extremely challenging, and there are difficulties that will bring back those memories of wasted quarters trying to get just a bit further. It's enjoyable and should provide a lot of nostalgia for many gamers, without having to actually pay to keep playing.

 

Crazy Taxi

 taxi

Still the same old crazy game. Crazy Taxi now has a lovely HD makeover, but everything else is the same. It has the same hectic and slightly challenging gameplay. If I had to complain about anything, I wish the audio had gotten a bit more of an upgrade. It's nice hearing a more old school soundtrack, but it does get annoying after awhile.

 

X-Men Arcade

 xmen

This was one of my personal favorite arcade games. It's nice to play it on the 360 and truly feels like the classic arcade game. The other nice thing is this game comes with the Japanese version as well. This version gives player access to certain upgrades that weren't available in American arcades.

 

Banjo Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie

 banjo

Both of these games got some nice polishing to their graphics and audio. The gameplay largely remains unchanged except for one lovely bonus: the controls are largely improved upon. The end result is that the games are slightly easier. There are still some challenges with swimming and flying, but they are much better than they were in their original formats.

 

Rez

 rez

What is very exciting about this game being released on the Live Arcade is how challenging it was to find in it's original format. Many people probably experience Rez for the first time on the 360. That being said the game is largely unchanged. It gets an HD visual upgrade, but other than that it's the same trippy game. It's fun, unique, and exciting, and I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

 

Sonic the Hedgehog series

 sonic

Fans of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games will not be disappointed with these re-releases. They have solid controls and nice graphics. Other than that they look, feel, sound, and play like old Sonic, and that's just perfect with me. It's really nice to have the good old school Sonic the Hedgehog games available to those that didn't hold on to their old consoles.  

The post Top 8 re-releases for Xbox Live Arcade appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/top-8-re-releases-for-xbox-live-arcade/feed/ 1 The Weekly Backtrack 05/06 – 05/10 - The biggest video game news this week! http://30plusgamer.com/the-weekly-backtrack-0506-0510/ http://30plusgamer.com/the-weekly-backtrack-0506-0510/#comments Sun, 12 May 2013 03:00:25 +0000 Yannick Van Broeck, Jeremy Woodcock http://30plusgamer.com/?p=2790

WeeklyBacktrack_WIP2

Welcome to the Weekly Backtrack! A new 30Plusgamer EXCLUSIVE column where we replay all of the big video game news of the past week. Check it out every Saturday and get your video game news on. This week we have more PS4 news, new screenshots for Battlefield 4 and Watchdogs, and information on a couple of surprise sequels that were announced.

[tabs tab1="MON 05/06" tab2="TUE 05/07" tab3="WED 05/08" tab4="THU 05/09" tab5="FRI 05/10"]

[tab]

The PS4's Share button can be turned off

PS4 Controller

When you do something amazing in a game, it's incredibly fun to immediatly be able to share it with the rest of the world. With the PS4 that would be piece of cake, you just use the Share button and you're able to upload your crazy adventures almost instantly.

However, there is a drawback to this system. For example, you could spoil the story for your viewers by uploading the final boss battle. Therefor, they arranged it so that it's possible for designers to turn the Share button functionality off for specific scenes.

Some new Battlefield 4 screenshots

DICE said they'd be releasing some new screenshots of their new shooter real soon. However, people had to click links and like certain posts in social media to reveal them. Here are the first two pics who got unveiled!

Screenshot 01 Battlefield 4

Screenshot 02 Battlefield 4

 

Shadow of the Eternals crowdfunding campaign begins

Precursor Games has begun a crowdfunding campaign for Shadow of the Eternals, the spiritual successor to the Gamecube classic, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.  It's being built with CryEngine 3 and is going to be an episodic release with 12 episodes in total.  Currently they're looking at the PC and Wii U as their consoles of choice for release, but if the campaign does well enough, they're going to look into bringing it to more systems.  Many gamers are still skeptical because Denis Dyack, director and producer of the Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, is involved with the project.  You may remember him from the notoriety that he gained after releasing Too Human and the subsequent lawsuit between the company that he was president of, Silicon Knights, and Epic Games regarding the Unreal Engine.  The fact that their goal is a whopping $1.5 million might turn some away as well.

As a huge fan of Eternal Darkness, I'm looking forward to the Shadow of the Eternals (with a bit of caution).  You can find out more about the crowdfunding campaign in the video below or by clicking here.

[youtube id="kgxJOzIUtZY" width="600" height="350"]

[/tab]

[tab]

EA gets their hands on the Star Wars license

Electronic Arts LogoLast year LucasFilm was purchased by Disney, which gave them the Star Wars license as well. Last month, Disney closed the gaming studio LucasArts and some game projects ended up in the trash. Now Disney has bartered a deal with EA giving them exclusive rights to the Star Wars universe. DICE, Visceral Games and Bioware will produce new Star Wars games but there is no concrete information about it yet.

Wolfenstein: The New Order announced by Bethesda

After some teasing Bethesda has finally announced their upcoming shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order. You can read all about it in our article by Yannick Van Broeck.

[youtube id="E6opaIl8h8U" width="560" height="315"]

[/tab]

[tab]

PS4 will not use a persistent internet connection due to lack of robust internet

In an interview with GameInformer (via Gaming Everything) Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Worldwide Studios, said they never considered always-online.

The main reason being that many countries don't have robust internet connections. It makes sense for people to have internet connections to play online games, but for offline games there are many countries that we saw do not really have robust internet.

 Now we only need to wait until the 21st of May when Microsoft will reveal their next-gen console!

[/tab]

[tab]

Ouya Retail Launch Delayed

If you were late to the party and are waiting to pick up an Ouya when it hits retail, you'll have to wait a tad longer.  Ouya announced that they won't be hitting their expected June 4th release date.  Now you'll have to wait until June 25th to get your Ouya from Amazon or other brick-and-mortar stores.  Anyone following news on the Ouya is most likely not surprised by this delay as the system has hit a bit of a rough patch when it comes to meeting release deadlines.

Total War: Rome 2 gets a release date!

Total War: Rome 2 SSWhoever has been rubbing their hands together in anticipation for the new Total War game can start rubbing them a little harder! Sega has announced the release date for Total War: Rome 2, and they expect to launch the 3rd of September. Those who pre-order the game now will get the first DLC for free. 

This DLC will be the Greek States Culture Pack and involve 3 new factions: Epirus, Athens and Sparta. The Creative Assembly says the Sparta campaign would be quite difficult to play. Furthermore, they stated only 22,000 copies of the Collector's Edition will be available. All of these will include a unique number and Roman extras, like a small catapult in a leather case. Take a look at the pre-order launch trailer below:

[youtube id="3KsQtH1gsCo" width="560" height="315"]

[/tab]

[tab]

Watchdogs keeps on hacking with some new screenshots

Ubisoft has released some new screenshots of Watchdogs! Take a look at these beauties!

Click them to enlarge!

Screenshot Watchdogs 1 Screenshot Watchdogs 6 Screenshot Watchdogs 5 Screenshot Watchdogs 4 Screenshot Watchdogs 3 Screenshot Watchdogs 2

[/tab]

[/tabs]

 [simple_series title="The Weekly Backtrack"]

The post The Weekly Backtrack 05/06 – 05/10 appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> WeeklyBacktrack_WIP2

Welcome to the Weekly Backtrack! A new 30Plusgamer EXCLUSIVE column where we replay all of the big video game news of the past week. Check it out every Saturday and get your video game news on. This week we have more PS4 news, new screenshots for Battlefield 4 and Watchdogs, and information on a couple of surprise sequels that were announced.

[tabs tab1="MON 05/06" tab2="TUE 05/07" tab3="WED 05/08" tab4="THU 05/09" tab5="FRI 05/10"]

[tab]

The PS4's Share button can be turned off

PS4 Controller

When you do something amazing in a game, it's incredibly fun to immediatly be able to share it with the rest of the world. With the PS4 that would be piece of cake, you just use the Share button and you're able to upload your crazy adventures almost instantly.

However, there is a drawback to this system. For example, you could spoil the story for your viewers by uploading the final boss battle. Therefor, they arranged it so that it's possible for designers to turn the Share button functionality off for specific scenes.

Some new Battlefield 4 screenshots

DICE said they'd be releasing some new screenshots of their new shooter real soon. However, people had to click links and like certain posts in social media to reveal them. Here are the first two pics who got unveiled!

Screenshot 01 Battlefield 4

Screenshot 02 Battlefield 4

 

Shadow of the Eternals crowdfunding campaign begins

Precursor Games has begun a crowdfunding campaign for Shadow of the Eternals, the spiritual successor to the Gamecube classic, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.  It's being built with CryEngine 3 and is going to be an episodic release with 12 episodes in total.  Currently they're looking at the PC and Wii U as their consoles of choice for release, but if the campaign does well enough, they're going to look into bringing it to more systems.  Many gamers are still skeptical because Denis Dyack, director and producer of the Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, is involved with the project.  You may remember him from the notoriety that he gained after releasing Too Human and the subsequent lawsuit between the company that he was president of, Silicon Knights, and Epic Games regarding the Unreal Engine.  The fact that their goal is a whopping $1.5 million might turn some away as well.

As a huge fan of Eternal Darkness, I'm looking forward to the Shadow of the Eternals (with a bit of caution).  You can find out more about the crowdfunding campaign in the video below or by clicking here.

[youtube id="kgxJOzIUtZY" width="600" height="350"]

[/tab]

[tab]

EA gets their hands on the Star Wars license

Electronic Arts LogoLast year LucasFilm was purchased by Disney, which gave them the Star Wars license as well. Last month, Disney closed the gaming studio LucasArts and some game projects ended up in the trash. Now Disney has bartered a deal with EA giving them exclusive rights to the Star Wars universe. DICE, Visceral Games and Bioware will produce new Star Wars games but there is no concrete information about it yet.

Wolfenstein: The New Order announced by Bethesda

After some teasing Bethesda has finally announced their upcoming shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order. You can read all about it in our article by Yannick Van Broeck.

[youtube id="E6opaIl8h8U" width="560" height="315"]

[/tab]

[tab]

PS4 will not use a persistent internet connection due to lack of robust internet

In an interview with GameInformer (via Gaming Everything) Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Worldwide Studios, said they never considered always-online.

The main reason being that many countries don't have robust internet connections. It makes sense for people to have internet connections to play online games, but for offline games there are many countries that we saw do not really have robust internet.

 Now we only need to wait until the 21st of May when Microsoft will reveal their next-gen console!

[/tab]

[tab]

Ouya Retail Launch Delayed

If you were late to the party and are waiting to pick up an Ouya when it hits retail, you'll have to wait a tad longer.  Ouya announced that they won't be hitting their expected June 4th release date.  Now you'll have to wait until June 25th to get your Ouya from Amazon or other brick-and-mortar stores.  Anyone following news on the Ouya is most likely not surprised by this delay as the system has hit a bit of a rough patch when it comes to meeting release deadlines.

Total War: Rome 2 gets a release date!

Total War: Rome 2 SSWhoever has been rubbing their hands together in anticipation for the new Total War game can start rubbing them a little harder! Sega has announced the release date for Total War: Rome 2, and they expect to launch the 3rd of September. Those who pre-order the game now will get the first DLC for free. 

This DLC will be the Greek States Culture Pack and involve 3 new factions: Epirus, Athens and Sparta. The Creative Assembly says the Sparta campaign would be quite difficult to play. Furthermore, they stated only 22,000 copies of the Collector's Edition will be available. All of these will include a unique number and Roman extras, like a small catapult in a leather case. Take a look at the pre-order launch trailer below:

[youtube id="3KsQtH1gsCo" width="560" height="315"]

[/tab]

[tab]

Watchdogs keeps on hacking with some new screenshots

Ubisoft has released some new screenshots of Watchdogs! Take a look at these beauties!

Click them to enlarge!

Screenshot Watchdogs 1 Screenshot Watchdogs 6 Screenshot Watchdogs 5 Screenshot Watchdogs 4 Screenshot Watchdogs 3 Screenshot Watchdogs 2

[/tab]

[/tabs]

 [simple_series title="The Weekly Backtrack"]

The post The Weekly Backtrack 05/06 – 05/10 appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> http://30plusgamer.com/the-weekly-backtrack-0506-0510/feed/ 2 Top 10 Weapons in Video Games - Deadly, cool looking, and just plain fun to use! http://30plusgamer.com/top-10-weapons-in-video-games/ http://30plusgamer.com/top-10-weapons-in-video-games/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 03:55:50 +0000 Megan Pearson http://30plusgamer.com/?p=2853

weapons-main.jpg

Good games generally come with good weapons. They can deal large amounts of damage, but fun to use, or just down right hilarious. Either way a good weapon will stick out in the minds of gamers. The following are some of the best weapons in video games that gamers can get to use.

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

1. B.F.G: Doom

 weapons-bfg

Honestly Doom is a very challenging game. Short on ammo, health, and armor a lot of gamers end up repeating levels over and over again. So when you first get your hands on the B.F.G. it's a pretty awesome experience. This gun deals massive amounts of damage, and is fun to use. Finally feeling like you are the scariest thing in the game is truly wonderful.[/dropshadowbox] 

[dropshadowbox align="none" effect="horizontal-curve-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

2. Morph-O-Ray: Ratchet and Clank series

 weapons-morph

Honestly this game offers a wide range of awesome weapons. When it comes down to it though the morph gun takes the cake. It's far from the most powerful weapon in the series, but it's really fun to use. Each game offers a different variation but the bottom line is the same, you use the gun to change enemies into harmless animals. There are chickens, ducks, sheep, and a wide range of animals. What makes it even better is when you upgrade the gun these cute little critters become either massive, or bombs (depending on the game). Without a doubt it's one of the most amusing weapons.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="curled" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

3. The Buffalo Rifle: Red Dead Redemption

 weapons-buffalo

The Buffalo Rifle is just that, it's a gun that is a one shot kill on buffalo and anything smaller than that. Everything is pretty much smaller than a buffalo. Once you finally get this weapon the game becomes significantly less challenging. You can mow down enemies quickly and with ease. It only being one shot isn't even much of a fault because it reloads fairly quickly. You'll just have fun being the baddest cowboy in the game once you have this gun.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-right" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

4. The Sword: Halo Series

 weapons-sword

The Sword isn't the best weapon in Halo, but for many fans it has a special place in their hearts. Looking back the first time gamers tore through enemies with the sword was a fun experience. Really it's those memories that make it one of the best. As the series has aged The Sword has come along with it.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="raised" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

5. Fat Boy: Fallout Series

 weapons-fatboy

Despite the extremely offense name there is something extremely satisfying about walking around with a hand nuke. Just aim pull the trigger and create your own extremely devastating, mushroom cloud causing explosion. It's very fun to look at and extremely effective.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

6. Portal Gun: Portal

 weapons-portal

As far as unique and fun weapons go, few things can even touch the portal gun. It was effective for solving puzzles, ridding the world of enemies, and fighting an epic boss. The portal gun does it all, and it's a whole lot of fun to use. Portal is still a stand out for it's wonderful gameplay and it all revolves around this gun.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="curled" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

7. The Pimp Cane: Saints Row 2

 weapons-pimp

Saints Row 2 is all about being the best “gangsta” you can be, so it's no surprise that one of the most fun weapons is the Pimp Cane. It is an unlockable weapon and is an extremely powerful 12 gauge shotgun hidden in a Pimp Cane. It's not only amusing to watch your character walk with the Pimp Cane, but it's equally entertaining to use to cut down your enemies one after the other. Win, win.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-left" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

8. Bow: The New Tomb Raider

 weapons-bow

On the list of things that this game did right, The Bow deserves a special place. It very effective for picking of enemies from a distance, and with each upgrade it only gets better. Hold down the trigger and watch enemies go flying due to your more powerful shot. Add the rope to pull them off ledges. A little napalm? Why not, because when you are just sniping your way through groups of enemies what is better then lighting groups of them on fire? Even at close range it's not the worst weapon in your arsenal.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="horizontal-curve-bottom" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

9. Fire Flower: Mario Series

 weapons-fire

There is a long list of power ups that Mario can get throughout the series. I chose this because it first appeared in Super Mario Brothers so is one of the longest running power ups. Why not the Star? While that is a powerful, the player has no control how long it lasts, and instead is forced to deal with the time limit. In the case of the Fire Flower as long as the gamer is careful and skilled they can actually use this power up for a very long time. Giving Mario a bit of range is also a welcome relief for many gamers.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

10. Hand Cannon/ Foam Finger: Dead Space 2

 weapons-finger

This weapon is not easy to get. Once you do finally snag it though it's one of the most amusing weapons out there. It's just a giant foam “number 1” finger that serves as a gun. What seals the deal is that when you fire it, the finger makes no noise. Instead Isaac just says “Bang” with each pull the trigger.[/dropshadowbox]

The post Top 10 Weapons in Video Games appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

]]> weapons-main.jpg

Good games generally come with good weapons. They can deal large amounts of damage, but fun to use, or just down right hilarious. Either way a good weapon will stick out in the minds of gamers. The following are some of the best weapons in video games that gamers can get to use.

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

1. B.F.G: Doom

 weapons-bfg

Honestly Doom is a very challenging game. Short on ammo, health, and armor a lot of gamers end up repeating levels over and over again. So when you first get your hands on the B.F.G. it's a pretty awesome experience. This gun deals massive amounts of damage, and is fun to use. Finally feeling like you are the scariest thing in the game is truly wonderful.[/dropshadowbox] 

[dropshadowbox align="none" effect="horizontal-curve-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

2. Morph-O-Ray: Ratchet and Clank series

 weapons-morph

Honestly this game offers a wide range of awesome weapons. When it comes down to it though the morph gun takes the cake. It's far from the most powerful weapon in the series, but it's really fun to use. Each game offers a different variation but the bottom line is the same, you use the gun to change enemies into harmless animals. There are chickens, ducks, sheep, and a wide range of animals. What makes it even better is when you upgrade the gun these cute little critters become either massive, or bombs (depending on the game). Without a doubt it's one of the most amusing weapons.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="curled" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

3. The Buffalo Rifle: Red Dead Redemption

 weapons-buffalo

The Buffalo Rifle is just that, it's a gun that is a one shot kill on buffalo and anything smaller than that. Everything is pretty much smaller than a buffalo. Once you finally get this weapon the game becomes significantly less challenging. You can mow down enemies quickly and with ease. It only being one shot isn't even much of a fault because it reloads fairly quickly. You'll just have fun being the baddest cowboy in the game once you have this gun.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-right" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

4. The Sword: Halo Series

 weapons-sword

The Sword isn't the best weapon in Halo, but for many fans it has a special place in their hearts. Looking back the first time gamers tore through enemies with the sword was a fun experience. Really it's those memories that make it one of the best. As the series has aged The Sword has come along with it.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="raised" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

5. Fat Boy: Fallout Series

 weapons-fatboy

Despite the extremely offense name there is something extremely satisfying about walking around with a hand nuke. Just aim pull the trigger and create your own extremely devastating, mushroom cloud causing explosion. It's very fun to look at and extremely effective.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

6. Portal Gun: Portal

 weapons-portal

As far as unique and fun weapons go, few things can even touch the portal gun. It was effective for solving puzzles, ridding the world of enemies, and fighting an epic boss. The portal gun does it all, and it's a whole lot of fun to use. Portal is still a stand out for it's wonderful gameplay and it all revolves around this gun.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="curled" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

7. The Pimp Cane: Saints Row 2

 weapons-pimp

Saints Row 2 is all about being the best “gangsta” you can be, so it's no surprise that one of the most fun weapons is the Pimp Cane. It is an unlockable weapon and is an extremely powerful 12 gauge shotgun hidden in a Pimp Cane. It's not only amusing to watch your character walk with the Pimp Cane, but it's equally entertaining to use to cut down your enemies one after the other. Win, win.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-left" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

8. Bow: The New Tomb Raider

 weapons-bow

On the list of things that this game did right, The Bow deserves a special place. It very effective for picking of enemies from a distance, and with each upgrade it only gets better. Hold down the trigger and watch enemies go flying due to your more powerful shot. Add the rope to pull them off ledges. A little napalm? Why not, because when you are just sniping your way through groups of enemies what is better then lighting groups of them on fire? Even at close range it's not the worst weapon in your arsenal.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="horizontal-curve-bottom" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

9. Fire Flower: Mario Series

 weapons-fire

There is a long list of power ups that Mario can get throughout the series. I chose this because it first appeared in Super Mario Brothers so is one of the longest running power ups. Why not the Star? While that is a powerful, the player has no control how long it lasts, and instead is forced to deal with the time limit. In the case of the Fire Flower as long as the gamer is careful and skilled they can actually use this power up for a very long time. Giving Mario a bit of range is also a welcome relief for many gamers.[/dropshadowbox]

 [dropshadowbox align="none" effect="lifted-both" width="590px" height="" background_color="#ffffff" border_width="1" border_color="#dddddd" ]

10. Hand Cannon/ Foam Finger: Dead Space 2

 weapons-finger

This weapon is not easy to get. Once you do finally snag it though it's one of the most amusing weapons out there. It's just a giant foam “number 1” finger that serves as a gun. What seals the deal is that when you fire it, the finger makes no noise. Instead Isaac just says “Bang” with each pull the trigger.[/dropshadowbox]

The post Top 10 Weapons in Video Games appeared first on 30PlusGamer.

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